Dear God, Let the SonShine upon you-and watch the shadows disappear

Dear God,

A recent commercial caught my attention today. It was for a very popular juice company. They showed children playing and their images being cast from the bright morning sun to a very distinctive shadow on the wall. It reminded me of when I was a small girl and used to chase my shadows up and down the driveway. I was intrigued at the fact, that no matter how fast I ran, I just could not catch my own shadow. And no matter how fast I tried to get away, it was always directly on my heels. I  love to see very small children, who find their shadows for the first time. Sometimes they are scared, and some take off like the wind, attempting to catch this mysterious entity.

It reminds me of our lives with You, Jesus. Sometimes we have lots of dark shadows that remain with us for years. We are hurt and saddened and sometimes we keep them if 0nly because they have become too familiar to us, and have somehow defined who we are as a person. There are also those who pursue this darkness looking for someone who can bring them peace.

It is only when we have accepted You into our hearts, that we can start to finally catch some of those dark shadows that stay with us, or even give up the chase of the long painful journey. The truth is, that our shadows aren’t visible on the rainy, dark and dreary days. No… instead it takes the bright shining sun to reveal them to us. Just as Satan tries to convince us that darkness must prevail, we know that each day, You have promised to bring forth the light. The promise that was made when You created the world, and separated night from day using the bright light as our guide.

The same circumstances are noted in our Christian walk. We know that there are dark places that keep us from enjoying all that is good and holy gifts that You can provide. No matter how fast we run, we can’t catch those pesky things!

But….. I have learned the solution to this dilemma. You are the way, the truth, and most importantly…  THE LIGHT! For when You, the “Son” shines upon us and brings the glorious light to our souls, no darkness can remain. The shadows that plague our souls are cast away and Your glory reveals the beauty of Your love toward us.

So I have decided to let the Son Shine in, and clear away all that would be dark and dismal. For I can rejoice that the light of the world has come, and You will forever be beside me, as the only reflection that I will ever need to pursue again!

For the Son shines upon me- and I love the reflection,

Gina

Dear God, I Am Soooo– Hungry!!

Dear God,

 While reading my bible today, I was reminded of when I was just a small child. My parents sacrificed so much, so that my sister’s and I could have a christian education. I am so grateful to them for that privilege. I believe that is why I am so committed to making sure that Spencer and Cooper have that same experience.

I remember the first time that we were required to learn a rather lengthy memory verse. I was afraid that I wasn’t going to be able to memorize the whole thing. There were some wonderful volunteers from the church that came and played the piano to teach the verse to us in a song format. I was amazed at how easy it was to learn by putting it to music. Not only did I memorize it fully for bible class, but to this day, I can recite the entire scripture! I have found through the years that whenever I was fearful or concerned, or just praising You for Your goodness, that this little song would come to mind and I would sing each word with great joy.

The scripture was from Psalm 66 verses 1-5. “Praise God with shouts of joy all people, sing to the glory of His name. Offer Him glorious praise. Say to God, how wonderful are the things You do, Your power is so great that Your enemies bow down in fear before You. Everyone on earth worships You, they sing praises to You, they sing praises to Your name. Come and see what God has done, His wonderful acts among men”.      For a five year old, this was quite the accomplishment!

Every since then, I found myself always wanting to know more about You. I found it exciting to learn that one day everyone would bow down before You. I await that day with great anticipation, Lord. I know that loosing both my mother and father has been very difficult. I loved them and I have the assurance that they are both in heaven with You now. I know that the babies that I lost are also with them and the angels are taking care of them, until the wonderful day that we will have a family reunion in heaven.  Your holy word is so important to me. I always find that each time I open my bible, that there is always something new to learn.

I have to compare it to someone who has been starving for some time. All that they can think of, is finding food. Anywhere, and by any means possible. All that matters is finding nourishment to fill the empty pit of their stomach. It growls and can even physically hurt because of this immense hunger. When I miss days away from Your holy word, my life seems incomplete. My soul begins to only think of what is missing, and what is hungered for. To summarize, I am starving! 

Thank You so much Jesus, for filling the emptiness of my soul with the nourishment of Your word! For nothing can satisfy us like the meat of the word and the joy that Your scripture fills within us. I am thankful that I can always come to You, whether it be in fear or sadness, or to praise You, I can be sure that You will in turn bring safety and joy!

So… Praise God with shouts of joy all people and sing to the glory of Your name!! I will never have to fill those pangs of hunger again~

Gina

Dear God, The Atheist Conundrum…

Dear God,

 I have a question for You today. Well, I suppose that there are several about this subject.

Here goes……   If an atheist is giving birth, and there is suddenly a complication and all seems lost, whom does she whisper to, “Please save my baby”?  If an atheist is given orders that they have 24 hours to pack for their next deployment, and the orders are to Iraq, do they blame “You”?  But, if while they were there, and enemy mortar was flying and bombs were all that filled their ears, would they suddenly, maybe even not deliberately, cry out to You for help and deliverance? If an atheist life was spent doing only what they wanted, only what they desired, and perhaps even never faced with true agony or despair in their lives, then I ask, “When they were profoundly thankful for something, and there appeared to be no explanation for it…could they think of NOBODY to thank for it?                       Truly this would be the Atheist most embarrassing moment!

I ask these questions today, because a very good friend of mine came to visit. She spoke of her step-daughter who is dealing with a tough custody battle and neither party is able to provide a Christian perspective. After seeing our boys and the way that we have chosen to raise them, she said she could see the stark difference. Then came the bombshell. She said that the child had been hanging with a crowd from school and they had all come from divorced families. She told me that her step-daughter now considered herself an “atheist”.  Although for the briefest of moments, I shuddered, I tried to retain my composure. This dear child is only 13 years old. When her husband and his first wife had begun to have marital problems, the girl was very young. And while they had attended church in the early years of their marriage, they had eventually stopped. By the time this child had come along, she had absolutely no teaching or examples of You.

I encouraged them to find a church and a youth group for them together, as a family. It is so important in today’s world that we teach our children who You are and the importance of having Christ in the center of our families. Then, when the storms hit, and problems arise (and they will) we can face them together as a family. We must pray to You for guidance and wisdom. She promised to do so, and she also said that she would keep in touch to let me know how things were going.

Jesus, You are the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father without You!

I pray right now for every person who has ever questioned Your existence. I for one, could not imagine my life without You. I know that when my child’s life was in risk, You were the only name I called to. When my friends were sent to battle in war, it was You whom I asked for protection over them. And now when the world has everything that defines wealth and “living life my own way”, there has to come a moment when they will look above and and wonder…..if only for a moment… I wish I had someone to thank for all of this.

For if they have no answer or explanation: This could be the Athiests’ biggest Conundrum!!

Loving the God that Is, Was, and Forever Will Be!

Gina

Dear God, Miracles in todays time?

Dear God,

 I ask myself, “Do miracles still exist in today’s time”? I know for certain the answer is yes! There are so many little miracles that occur everyday, and some that even tend to go unnoticed. When I was just a child I remember playing with a little girl that lived down the street. She came from a broken family. They were struggling with alcohol and drugs, and divorce. She rarely came around, but sometimes she would ride her bike and ask if I wanted to ride with her. I used to talk with her about You. I really wanted to help her and to try to teach her that You really did care about her and her circumstances. She truly believed that no one cared about her. She would cry herself to sleep at nights sometimes. Once she talked about her washing dishes at home after dinner, and she accidentally dropped and broke a plate. Her mother smacked her and grounded her for a week. She called her clumsy and screamed at her, making her believe that she had done this deliberately. I felt so sorry for her. She was intrigued by someone who would actually love her even though they had not met before. She couldn’t understand how her sins could be forgiven and how You could change her life forever.  I never gave up on telling her how You created everything and everyone and that there was nothing that You couldn’t do.

One afternoon she stopped by and asked if I could ride with her before dinner. Mom allowed me to go and so we took off around the block. She was upset that day because her brother had done things to her. She was asking me how she could get away from all that was hurting her. Her mother showed no love to her because she was a constant reminder of the husband who left with another woman. Because she physically resembled him, her mother took her anger out on her daughter. She told me that she just wanted someone to love her and care for her. I knew that she needed You more than any other time in her short life. I told her that we needed to pray to You and ask for You to come into her heart and save her from sin.

The miracle occurred that very afternoon. While I was telling her this, we had been riding our bikes very slow, side by side. We had rode in the direction of the flow of traffic. While there was very little cars that came that way, we assumed that any vehicle coming would see us and we would hear them and veer off to the side of the road. At the moment that we were asking You for help…… a motorcycle came from out of nowhere. I was still in the middle of the road. Before I had time to react, the motorcycle seemed to actually drive right through me!  I was stunned. But I will never forget what I said to her. She was screaming and crying. She asked me how on earth did you survive that? I told her” See, I told you that God will always protect us!” Even though I was just a child, I knew that You would always keep me in the palm of Your hands. By all rights and reality, I should have been in a terrible accident that day. I probably would not have made it, or would have been severely hurt.

I believe, completely, that You allowed that to happen to show my friend that there is nothing that God can not do! Your power is too great. She believed me and asked You to come into her heart and she was saved that very afternoon. While You don’t have to show others just how awesome Your power is, You knew that she was suffering every single day in her home. She needed something great big to happen to allow her to know that she could live her life now, with Your guidance and help.

I don’t know what ever became of that little girl. We eventually moved and I never saw her again. It is my hope that she kept a relationship with You and that You worked in her life. I also know, that no matter what she became as she grew up, that she will never forget that afternoon, and the miracle that we both experienced.

I prayed to You that night and thanked You for Your protection and mercy to me that day. I also knew that You must have had a specific purpose for my life. I know that writing these letters is a way for me to show honor to You and to remember all that You have done for me and those that I love.

Please be with all the dear children of the world. May there be someone in their lives that will bring the word of hope to them and explain to them about how You died on the cross for EVERYONE! Today’s world seems to be full to the brim with dysfunctional families, abuse, broken by divorce, drugs and depression. I want them to know that there is absolutely nothing that they can experience that Your love can not make better. You can love them and protect them unconditionally.

You bring hope to the hopeless and love to the unloved. You give even a child the ability to understand just how great a God that You are. I am so blessed to have known You my whole life. I am so grateful that even though I have had to experience trials and tragedies, that I have the faith to know that You would not give me more than I could handle.

Thank You for friends and for strangers that I am able to share the gospel with. For I never want to be ashamed to show my love for You. I have to ask myself, “What if I hadn’t shared the gospel with her that day”? Would the afternoon have been spent in the emergency room? Thank God, I will never have to know!

Thanking You for miracles in today’s time!

Gina

Dear God, Can Evil Pravail?

Dear God,

 The last few days have been a flurry of news and activities around our house and around the world. I watched every minute of the inauguration and was surprised at just how emotional I became to hear President Obama’s address. It made me proud to realize that such camaraderie was able to exist amongst such debate and adversity. The mass volume of people who lined the mall to hear the fifteen minute speech of our new commander and chief was unbelievable.

I know that there is so much that I do not agree politically with him, but he is our new president, and I will continue to pray to You for his leadership abilities and for the decisions that he makes that will ultimately effect each and every one on the planet. Wow! What a job to undertake. I now have a new appreciation for my job as wife and mother.

Amidst all of the pomp and circumstance, I had to ask myself, “Does he truly have the hard core leadership mindset, that he will stand up for our country against terrorism”? Or, does that take years of experience in dealing with our allies and enemies, to know just when to act upon our greatest fears and react with force”? I can only pray that the words of wisdom that surrounds him, comes from those who have a heart for You, and that they will help guide him through the grueling decisions that he will have placed upon his desk every day.

I am reminded of the saying: “All that is takes for evil to exist, is for good men to do nothing.” How many times do we all walk away when we witness evil around us?”  When a mother disciplines her child in the grocery store, by hitting them. Do we walk away or do we confront her and get help for the child?” When we see an angry husband screaming at his wife and children, do we stop him and help the family, or do we walk away?” All too often I feel like the world around us is getting so used to seeing evil prevail that they choose to mind their own business, and keep on walking. If we feel that things might get uncomfortable for us, we choose to do nothing, instead of something. When we know that even in our own families, there are situations that need to be addressed, do we choose to keep silent, instead of dealing with the problems?”  If so, then the retort to the saying is…..that we are responsible for making sure that all that we see and hear in the realms of sin and evil are addressed and dealt with.

Did You not protect David against Goliath? Did You not see Moses and the Israelites were protected against the mighty armies of Pharaoh? Did You not protect Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus, when they would have been sought out and put to death? Did You not miraculously free Paul and Silas out of jail? In every situation that we pray to You for guidance and protection and wisdom, I truly believe that You will protect us and bring us to prevail against our enemies. You are the goodness and truth that is the fight for justice. In today’s world when we need a Savior more than ever, I am so blessed to know that one already exists. When I see how the circumstances can change in a minute, and the world will be put into a despair that will seem intolerable, even for those who do not know You, I feel the urgency to act when I see wrong.

God, You are the One and Only. You are the Savior of the world in the evil that permeates every core of our existence. You are also the blessed King who still brings blessings and restores faith to a multitude. A multitude gathered to hear our new President, and I pray that a multitude times a multitude will see You for who You truly are!

Give me strength this day I pray. For guidance and wisdom to choose to help those who need to know You. Even if the risk to myself is great, I pray that You will be there for me just as You were for David, and Moses, and Mary and Joseph, and so many, many more. You are the almighty, and there is nothing that we can’t do with You in our lives.

Praying that good will prevail over evil,

Gina

Dear God, Can every cry from a child be heard?

Dear God,

 The world holds an infinite spectrum of possibilities for us. We can make choices to live each day and find blessings and search for a deeper understanding of who You are, or we can slide downhill into a pit full of deceptions, hurt, anger and resentment. I cry today for one such girl whom I love very much. God, You know that she desires to learn more about You and she secretly craves that which she can not find to satisfy her soul. She sees her family is in constant discord, the yelling and screaming that to her seems utterly endless. She dreads stepping of the school bus, for she feels that cringe inside of her stomach. She knows that she will enter an empty house for a few short hours. She alone will be responsible for feeding her siblings. She turns on the television, but only as a distraction from the voices that are inside her head. She then awaits for night fall, knowing that the very person she calls mother, will spend her evening drinking and partying with friends. She, left alone, feels empty and views herself in the mirror as just the shell of what was once a vibrant, articulate, happy little girl. She recalls the few times that she came to Your house of worship and she began to understand her purpose for the life that she was given.

Now, with parents devoid of moral standards that should be a given in the life of any child. She is faced with the dilemma of whether to live with the future that is filled with alcohol and verbal berating, or to pray for help from above. It is now come to my attention that in order to sooth her ache of fear and abandonment and mental abuse, she quietly goes into her room and with the precision of the blade, makes the instantaneous choice to cut away the pain. In doing so, she has convinced herself that if she hurts someplace physically, it will, but for a moment, sway her attention away from her circumstances. It makes my heart break that this beautiful child is in so much turmoil in her heart, that she tries to find a place to retreat from the chaos.

Lord, I am begging You in prayer right now to go to her. She needs Your comfort, Your absolute peace that passes all understanding. She can have a life that prospers and gives glory to You. She truly wants to be the girl that is happy and enjoys her life with family and friends to love and who will reciprocate those treasured feelings.

I, myself cannot comprehend why doing this act, could possible bring relief to her. But, just as her example at home, she looks for anything, or anyone else to fill that emotional pit that grumbles inside her. Watching someone else using substances to keep them from facing the realities of life is the crutch that much of the world wares out. Her life is so precious that You hung on that cross and drew Your last breath, just so she might live for eternity with You.

I pray that she finds solace somewhere, anywhere, but where she is right now. If I can do anything for her, I ask that You give me the means to be able to deliver her from the destiny that I dread will come for her. You alone are the only truth that this poor child has ever known. While she appears beautiful and bright on the outside, she screams with heartache on the inside.  Please send her the comforter, the holy spirit right now. Don’t let her take matters into her own hands anymore. Give her a reason to go on with You being the light at the end of a very long tunnel. I love You, and I love her very much too.

Some of us seem to have it all figured out at a young age. Some of us are blessed enough to have parents that show unconditional love and teach us of Your word. Unfortunately, life is not so pleasant for others. I await for You God, to see You and to know that there will be no more suffering for Your children. I am truly blessed beyond measure at the love that I feel from You, Father.

May wisdom and grace be given abundantly to Your children and humbly I ask for me as well.

Praying for all the dear children,

Gina

Life is such a precious gift. We wrap it up in pretty paper and give it with anxious feelings of the one that is to receive it. We expect it to be unwrapped and opened with smiles and cheers of gratitude. But what if, the gift was opened and the recipient found the box to be empty. The tag read that it must be filled— with love and commitment. The giver gave everything that they had and so much more, that the box couldn’t even contain it’s vast worth. May each parent give the gift that overflows with love and hope and encouragement to their children. So that when they are grown, they can share the gift and pass on a legacy of Your endless love wrapped in mercy and grace. For You began the tradition by giving us this free gift that cannot be contained. It is forever and must be shared with everyone that we love. Thank You God for every true and perfect gift comes from You above! Glory be to God!

Dear God, I praise You for every season of change!

Dear God,

I just glanced out my kitchen window—-and it is snowing!!!! I love the snow so much. It seems like when the ground is blanketed with the cascades of white beauty, it brings such a peace and renewal to my spirit. I guess it reminds me that even though the trees have lost their leaves, and the grass is brittle and flowers are months away from their bloom, we know that You will bring  life back to them. Your promises are never broken. Your love never fades away, and Your word always bring life back to our weary souls.

I praise You for all of the beautiful seasons that bring change into our lives.  For in the spring each petal of a flower opens to give beauty and fragrance to us. The summer sun brings warmth and long days to enjoy outside splendor. The autumn brings a multitude of leaves in hues so brilliant that we gaze at them in wonder. Then the winter chilling winds blow and the sky rains down flakes of snow. Each one different in size and shape. Perhaps I enjoy it so much because I know that You made each one of us so unique. Each one in a different size and shape. Each one of us were so special to You, that You died for our sins and iniquity so that we might choose to serve You.

I am so thankful for the beauty that surrounds me everyday. It wasn’t until I became very sick, that I realized just how important it is to take in each moment that we’re given and never take for granted that I will always have time to do whatever my heart desires. I have found that if we take each day as a precious gift from You, then I learn to treasure each little detail of the day. I want to make my children smile and giggle with laughter. I want to make memories of fun that we share, whether we are just watching a movie together or playing a game, or if I am just towing them around with friends. Learning to appreciate the big and little moments in life, soon turns to learning that we should never hold a grudge, or stay angry. Our time really is short here, and whether we are around for 5 years or 50 more years, I want my family to know just how special they truly are to me. I am blessed beyond measure!

I love You, Lord! I sing praises to Your name! I feel a kindred spirit with David as he wrote the psalms to You. God, You inspire such greatness and You fill the emptiness that the world tries to pour into our hearts and mind, but always leaves discontentment. I love all that You have given to me and for each season that brings joy and renewal. 

Pour down Your holiness and let me soak up Your grace and faithfulness. I ask for my children to grow each day, remembering how blessed that they are to know You and to have accepted You as their Lord and Savior.

For seasons of Love and Faith that will never change,

Gina

Dear God, Did You just text me??

Dear God,

In today’s age of electronic technology, it seems as though when something new has just hit the market,  that competitors are already attempting to outwit its perfect design. There are so many ways to accomplish vast means of communication. Never again shall we be stranded by the side of the road, hoping that someone should play the good Samaritan. Now, we all have our cell phones, and AAA is only a phone call away.

I do enjoy the ability to keep in touch with my children at all times. Now if they are out with friends, I know that they are just a phone call away in case the car breaks down, or they need to be picked up early. I also like the navigational devices that allow us to never again have to fight with our spouses about asking for directions. Now, they can type in our destination and the GPS speaks in computerized voice until we arrive precisely at the estimated time of arrival.

It is my own personal opinion though, that texting has become the most popular life line of our youth. It appears that every teenager on the planet has their own cell phone and rarely uses it to make actual phone calls. No…. texting is the new talk… or so they say.(I mean type).  God, You created us with such an intelligence that we were able to put a man on the moon. I have my doubts that this was accomplished by a room full of mass geniuses texting the formula’s to each other, and waiting for their responses to the sound of the latest and greatest top ten songs just transferred from their ipods. My boys have accomplished this technique to a masterful science. They are quite able to eat, watch television,or play video games, all while texting without missing a single beat. Once the beeping has ceased, the fingers move with precision to respond to the latest tragedy or  news of friends.

Lord, I am so appreciativeof everything that You allow us to have. The incredible new inventions and technology have improved our lives in extrodinary ways. But, I do have a concern. There is one type of text that has slowly become a dying breed to society.  It is the text that never lies, never contains gossip, will never lead us astray, never bring self doubt or confusion. It is the text of Your holy word. Your text was written and inspired to bring us great joy. It brings with it a new sense of knowledge and peace. I never want to become so intrigued with new technology, that I might forget that “Your text” is the way to finding out all of life’s questions and advancing our understanding to all of life’s eternal thoughts. Not what our friends are doing or what we are missing at the office.  I know that no matter what I may be feeling or what questions I need answered, the text of Your word will always provide the truth of Your promises to us.

Best of all, the greatest communication devise, comes from our mouth to Your ear. For we can pray anywhere- not ever having to worry about a near by cell tower. I can whisper quietly or yell from the roof tops. You will hear me always. Without the frustrating question, “Can you hear me now?”

I thank You so much God, that You listen when I need You, that You understand in any language. You are my “provider”,and I never need to bother with a new contract each year! You even paid my debt in full, when You hung upon the cross.  Never will there be  another who can ever compare with Your capacity of knowledge and never will my calls be unanswered!  You are the way, the truth, and the life and I will forever stay with You and You alone.

When I think about what we have accomplished through the years, it is amazing. It seems remarkable that even with all of the current technology we’ve obtained, it still could only be measured to a grain of sand in the shores of the vast sea, that is Your brilliant mind. Thank you for being the all knowing God that You are, and for loving us in spite of our ignorance to continue to sin even though You have given us everything we need. My greatest desire is to serve You by learning Your devine word delivered in “text”.

Your text brings me great joy, Oh my Lord!

Gina

Your word

Dear God, I broke free from prison!

Dear God,

As I was on the way to pick up the boys from school yesterday, I came upon a stop light in town. When I glanced toward the vehicle in front of me, I saw that it was a van full of prisoners. They were looking all around them and taking in their surroundings. It was at that moment that I realized just how similar those convicts were to that of the unsaved. Truly the only real difference is the view. For the convicted felon, they live their lives in a prison. They are limited by their ability to lead a productive and fruitful life. The dull and mundane life of a prisoner is restrictive to that by which a jury of their peers had decided at what extent their punishment should be served.

For the unsaved, their lack of knowing and loving You, makes them a prisoner to their own circumstances. For any sin is a crime committed against You.  Anyone who has not accepted You for their Lord and Savior is committing their crimes by living in sin and have to await judgement by the most high and could spend eternity in hell with a life sentence. For surely there is no plea bargain option.

I know that we all have to live our lives making decisions based on free will. Do we all not make the conscience choice whether or not to steal, to cheat, to lie, or even to take the life of another human being. If we do not have the Holy Spirit in our hearts and pray for guidance from You, then we will all fall prey to making the wrong choice. I have to believe that there could have been at least one man in that van that had a heart of repentance. We must believe that there is good still in this world. If for no other reason than to keep, as Paul stated, fighting the good fight. We need to bring Your word to those whom have not accepted You yet.

Those who are living without You in their lives are living in a prison of iniquity. They are imprisoned by their own decisions to follow their own will, instead of Yours. By giving into temptation we are guilty and must pay for that crime by admitting that sin and asking for forgiveness. We all have to pay the price for our decisions, but we have the assurance that You will forgive, and forget our crimes against You. You have told us that You will cast them as far as the east is from the west and remember them no more. Unfortunately for the wicked, our time on earth is spent with the constant reminders of our crimes. But in doing so, we can often reject the temptation when it returns to us.

We will ALL face judgement one day. For some, they will face a judgement here on earth in the court system, and a second judgement  to give account to You on the choices that were made with the life they were given. I pray for anyone who is struggling right now with a decision that could change their circumstances forever. For just as committing a crime effects our loved ones, committing and living a life of sin effects everyone as well. Family and friends are all effected by our decisions. We only have one life to live here on earth. One chance to make it right. To live productive and fruitful lives according to Your desires. I pray that I will not disappoint You. I know that I will sometimes fail and make poor choices. But I can be repentant and just as I hope that there would have been at least one man in the van that truly felt sorry for the crime that he committed. I too am thankful that You made the way for the sinful man to come into Your kingdom one day. Where You will reign forever with those whom You loved so much that You gave Your own life, so that they might live where there is sin no more.

A prisoner no more,

Gina

Dear God, I pray for for the unsaved today

Dear God,

Today I find myself struggling with thoughts of my family members whom I love so dearly. I know that we all must choose to live our lives with the decisions that we make, but I feel a constant urgency to bring them closer to You. I realize that the world is exponentially overflowing with evil thoughts and deeds. These idea’s are being infiltrated into lives through media and governmental agencies. I pray for our nation to come to You, oh  God! I know that our children are faced with tough decisions every day. I see my sisters, as grown women with their own families and making choices for them. When mom was alive she really wanted all of her children to go to church and to ensure their salvation. She struggled in life with grasping for her own will and at times truly striving to succumb to Yours. I fight with my own emotions on a daily basis. I want so badly to please You and to make You proud of the mother and wife that I have become. I still make poor choices and fail to hold up to the standard that would bring me more Christlike. Please help me to know just what words to say and what acts that I could do to bring my sisters closer to You.

I know that You could not possibly have us to live forever, here in this sinful world. Your word tells us that You will be coming again and receive us unto Yourself. I long for this day so very much. I have a good life here, with my husband, and the two precious boys that You have allowed me to raise. I adore every minute with them and the wonderful memories that we make together. They are so much fun to be with and I love their sense of humor and their desire to come to church. That makes me so proud of them. There have been times when I felt so physically weak and in pain, but when your child begs you to please take them to youth bible study, how on earth could I possibly say no. You are growing in their hearts and minds and it amazes me to see how much they want to learn about you. I can still hear their little voices saying their nighttime prayers as a little whisper to You. They would call out “Dear Jesus” and then continue on to thank You for all that You had done in their lives and for Mommy and Daddy and each of them for their brother.
It is a painful request to ask for sometimes. To want to see my children to grow up, to attend college, to find and meet the young ladies that they will choose for wives, to have children of their own and make beautiful lives for themselves, and for me to be blessed to watch. But, the other side of the coin is that Your word is solid truth and we all know that that the worst is still to come. For we have abandoned You in our culture. We have tried to rip You from every departmental agency that controls the people. We went from a world that accepted You as Savior, to a world that tries everything possible to rid  You out of society totally. Just as all of the biblical prophets foretold, we are facing a grueling time that will bring death and devastation to the entire world. God, I know that You created us to love You and have a relationship with You, and the world has decided that they want to throw it all away. The news tells us everyday, of the terrible weather tragedies, the war and violence that outbreaks, the perversion that ensues, the murder and disease that plagues our country. Surely You will be coming for Your people soon.

Please, I ask this… that You will help me to be a worthy example, so that all of my extended family will be drawn to You, God. I want to know that the eternity that we will spend with You will include all of my loved ones. I desire this so much, that it brings me to tears so often.

If everyone could realize that without You in our lives, we have NOTHING! That there is nothing that this world has to offer that could ever take the place of You in their lives. That You are coming again and this time we will join You forever and ever and spend all of our days in pure worship for the One who died for each sin that we ever committed and repented of.

I love You with a passion that grows deeper in my heart everyday. I am so glad that I decided to write You letters on a daily basis. This is an honor to speak to You and have my words retained for memories. I want this to encourage my spiritual growth and give me the encouragement to always strive to be better. I have a long ways to go! I ask for forgiveness of the sins that I commit and ask for the ability to keep my eyes to the horizon and await Your return. Please watch after and keep my family so that they may make the right decision before it is too late for them.

Thank You for everything that You have bestowed upon me. Thank You for every good and perfect gift that You have allowed into my life. Give me wisdom and patience,and perseverance to overcome temptation. I love You, Lord!

Awaiting the salvation decision of others,

Gina